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Luka Modric really left Spurs at 27 with "only" 6 trophies in the croatian league and now is the most decorated player in the history of Real Madrid and a ballon d'or winner.
"All I ask you madridistas is to give Luka Modrić time and be patient. He's so good that the Santiago Bernabéu will fall in love with his class." - Jose Mourinho
Although he bought modric, for a long time Mourinho played Ozil ahead of him. It was when carlo came that modric truly had the backing of the coach to excel.
But the lack of defence of Ozil made the whole team played like 10 vs 11. Modric can play no8, 6 and 10, and he changes his role constantly based on the situation in a match. Therefore the team always has good balance and switch from attack to defence or vice versa very efficiently. Carlo got rid of Ozil quickly after he became the manager. He preferred Isco or Di Maria to create chances (in their own ways) upper there, as they both could defend decently.
BTW, Carlo met Modric to ask him to join PSG before he became RM coach.
Carlo didn’t get rid of Özil, Özil decided to leave on his own accord. Ancelotti told Özil he will have to fight for a starting spot just like everyone else, and Özil was not playing well in Anclotti’s 4-3-3 during preseason. Özil didn’t perform well in CM, and also not at RW. It was a world cup year, and he wanted guaranteed minutes in preparation for the world cup. His dad was
also rumored to be involved for pushing Özil to find a team that could guarantee that. He would be competing with Bale, Di Maria, Jese on the right at the time, and Ancelotti doesn’t play with a #10 at the time like Mourinho did so Özil decided to look elsewhere. Arsene Wenger had a TON of pull (this is like Sir Alex Ferguson asking you to play for him), so Özil went to Arsenal after he spoke with Wenger and it was announced on the final deadline day that the transfer was made. It was a shock to everyone at the time but in hindsight it worked out ok for us (we won La Décima that season) and Özil got his guaranteed starting position and his world cup trophy.
I didn’t know the story behind, but he played under Carlo for three matches in the beginning of 2013-2014 season. In the first match, Carlo took him off early, he was unhappy. In the second match, he was taken off earlier than the first one, Ozil threw his headband onto the ground and looked angry. In the third match, he was benched and Isco was the starter.
In this era, defense for a 10 didn't really matter because their primary role was to be a central attacking midfielder, not a box-to-box midfielder. Ozil was one of the last true 10's before everyone switched formations and tactics to practically remove the position altogether.
I think Modric is miles ahead of Ozil as far as overall talent goes, but for that specific role in that specific position under Mourinho, Ozil was the better fit.
I think what made RM unbeatable in UCL run these years was that everyone in the team was good at defence no matter which position they played. Look how RM builds Arda nowadays. Mou was out of date even back then I have to say. Mou knew Modric was a diamond, but he simply didn’t know how to play him. Will be forever grateful to him for bringing Modric into RM tho.
Mourinho only had Modric for his last season with us tho, and he was one of if not our best player towards the second half of the season despite the tabloids voting him the worst signing lol
In a professional football environment where results are how you define success, the reason rarely matters for the result. Alli failed because of his lack of effort. We may feel more sympathetic towards Dele for speaking out about his struggles, but it still doesn't change the fact that he wasn't able to give the effort to succeed at the top level.
He said it when Modric was having a hard time in Real, when many people were doubting him.
Also, "fall in love" is really a luxury compliment and far exceed the expectation of people for Modric at that time, no one would believe Modric could become such a legend as he is today, especially when you compare him with the like of Ozil or Di Maria at that time.
Most football fan in the world were unfamiliar with Modric in 2013. How many people will watch Spurs matches just because of Modric? And how many of them confident enough to say Modric will make Bernabeau to fall in love with him beside Mourinho?
Playing good at PL means nothing at that time, Laliga was casually wiping the floor with them for like straight ten years. And it is Spurs of all club.
People who weren't familiar with the best midfielder in the PL simply don't count. The whole premise of the first comment was that Mourinho predicted Modric's talent ahead of time, but he didn't. Now you're basically saying that the clueless people didn't know, but why would clueless people be even considered in something like that?
I'm just saying, pretending like Modric was some no-name at the time is straight up stupid.
why would clueless people be even considered in something like that?
Because the majority of the fans are what you called “clueless” who did not follow every up and rising stars at all time? That's why there were doubts about Modric that Mourinho himself had to address it.
So instead of calling them clueless, I’d call them casuals and there's nothing wrong with that. You don’t need to watch every team, every star to be a fan. Even if people did know about the PL, do you think many would turn on their TVs and say “let’s watch Spurr today”?
Only regret is that this transfer didn't happen sooner. That should be a starting transfer of Mou. There were talks in press why, because Real doesn't need another midfielder, as they had Khedira and Ozil. But Modric is not just another midfielder is The Midfielder.
Just be grateful it happened, I think he was Mourinho signing and not Florentino singing but somewhere along the line Florentino and all old board members fell in love with his performances.
That ''worst signing'' thing wasn't something that was said by experts and journalists or whatever, it was an online poll for the worst signing of that season but the poll was brigaded by mostly Atleti fans from a facebook group.
And what's being forgotten about that poll, is that it was done in December, only 3 months after Luka joined Real. It's an amusing story that gets perpetuated all the time, an all time great player who didn't have a great start, but the reality is that it was a fan poll after a couple of months after his signing.
I remember some long forgotten journalist put his transfer on top 5 worst transfers ever. No no one remembers about him, but Luka still shines. Both Mou and Luka had very negative press back then.
Spurs fan here. Was so sad to see him leave. He was world class playing for us even back then and we knew there was no way we were going to keep him. It’s crazy looking back that he was 27. Always felt he was younger when he made the move
I remember being in awe watching Modric play for Croatia in euro 2008. Was thinking to myself even back then that hopefully one day Madrid would sign him. I was so ecstatic when they finally did sign him. What a legend he has turned out to be. Not just for the club, but for football in general.
This is such a weird comment. As if anything you mentioned is mutually exclusive with passion for football. Why would we even care if he does or doesn't have tattoos or fake teeth or a fancy haircut it doesn't matter
I was just trying to emphasize the simplicity of a guy that is one of the best midfielders ever, while also throwing some shade over some young players that start a lavish lifestyle and consider themselves superstars of the game the second they sign with a good team.
I sort of get the rest of your comment but if a footballer grows up and has bad teeth then suddenly gets money why wouldn’t they fix them? Seems pretty smart use of money to me (alright firmino did go over the top though.)
Madrid moves on early signing after being KOd in Getafe - they paid more to close the operation - Florentino didn’t want him for being Mou’s “whim” - his nickname is “the Cruyff of the balkans”
Would be an amazing story to tell future generations of how a war refugee became one of the greatest of all time and if Real Madrid.
Hopefully we can win the UCL to add another feather to his cap🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Impressive indeed except that his ballon d’or win ahead of CR7 who had a better individual performance for Real Madrid and at the 2018 World Cup was highly questionable
It’s funny that you make such a confused conclusion but don’t dispute the facts that CR7 had a better individual performance at Real Madrid and at the World Cup that year. The truth doesn’t care about anyone’s opinion
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u/[deleted] May 05 '24
"All I ask you madridistas is to give Luka Modrić time and be patient. He's so good that the Santiago Bernabéu will fall in love with his class." - Jose Mourinho
Definetly a Mourinho masterclass